State of Illinois Celebrates Record-Breaking Export Sales for 2023 and Launches Governor’s Export Awards Application
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced another record-breaking year with export sales over $78.7 billion in 2023. According to rankings by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Illinois continues to lead the Midwest as the top exporting state and fifth in the nation.
COOK COUNTY LAND BANK AUTHORITY PARTNERS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS TO TRANSFORM VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTY INTO COMMUNITY SPACES
The Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) announced its third annual giveaway of properties to community organizations for redevelopment into community spaces. CCLBA also highlighted the transformation of vacant properties that were previously donated to No Matter What NFP in 2023 and the Urban Male Network in 2022 are now community anchors for local residents.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES CARLA KUPE AS CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the appointment of Carla Kupe as the Chief Equity Officer of the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ) during the City of Chicago’s 4th Annual Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony in Daley Plaza. Kupe will develop an implementation and oversight framework for advancing equity across city departments to propel the Johnson Administration’s commitment to a more just and inclusive Chicago for all.
DOMINIQUE WARREN NAMED DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL AFFAIRS FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO, SANTIAGO CAMPILLO NAMED SENIOR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT
Mayor Brandon Johnson announces the additions of Dominique Warren as the Director of Federal Affairs for the City of Chicago and Santiago Ginebra Campillo as Senior Legislative Assistant of Federal Affairs. These high-impact additions will significantly elevate Chicago's federal affairs operations, fortifying the city's advocacy capabilities in the nation's capital.
Chicago Public Schools Students Open Books and Minds Through Summer Reading
As Chicago Public Schools’ students enjoy the second week of summer vacation, officials are reminding families and students of the many summer reading and literacy programs and resources across the city. Opening a book is another way to keep minds open and ready to learn when school resumes on Aug. 26.
Illinois awarded $1.8 million federal grant to improve access to transit in Southern Illinois
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced it has been awarded $1.8 million from the Federal Transit Administration to launch a pilot program in Southern Illinois with the goal of improving access to public transportation for people with disabilities, older adults and those with low incomes. The grant, administered through the federal Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Pilot Program, will support efforts to integrate trip scheduling and fare collection across 20 counties served by Shawnee Mass Transit District, Rides Mass Transit District, South Central Mass Transit and Monroe Randolph Transit District.
National Museum of African American History and Culture Acquires Largest Collection of Charleston Slave Badges
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture recently acquired what is thought to be the largest and most complete set of historic Charleston Slave Badges. The collection includes 146 rare badges dating as far back as 1804. It also features badges with makers’ marks and two with personalized inscriptions. To share the stories of these objects with a worldwide audience, the museum has launched a Searchable Museum feature at SearchableMuseum.com/SlaveBadges, which tells the historical significance of Charleston Slave Badges and the museum’s recent exciting acquisition.
Top 5 Things to Consider Before Buying a Home
Homeownership has long been a reliable and valuable investment for many Americans. The Black homeownership rate in the U.S., however, stands at just 44% - the lowest among all racial groups according to the National Association of Realtors.
Neighborhood Barbershop Has Been An Institution In Woodlawn For More Than 60 Years
The Coleman Brothers Barbershop has been located at 68th and Stony Island in Woodlawn since 1963. The community recently celebrated the milestone by dedicating the street Coleman Brothers Way.
Baylor’s Melon Market Continues To Provide The Best Quality Watermelons To Chicago
In the summer months, you’ve probably seen the trucks filled to the brim with watermelons, parked on the street, or been to Baylor’s Melon Market on 101st and Halsted. But, do you know the history of Baylor’s Melon Market?
UNCF “A MIND IS…” GALA RAISES $700,000
It promised glitz and glamour, top-line entertainment, an artist’s utopia, music, dancing, scrumptious gourmet dining and hundreds of thousands of dollars raised in scholarship monies. And the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) “A Mind Is…” Gala did not disappoint. Held recently at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the festive affair, which included a thousand attendees, was a spectacular party filled with an important purpose – to help more students get to and through college.
BLACK AMERICANS ARE EMBRACING A NEW ERA OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION
In a country where wealth disparities persist, financial inclusion is still the road that leads to equity. Black Americans have historically faced barriers to wealth generation and investment opportunities. Today, the tide is turning, and technology is paving the road to education, access, and empowerment.
ILLINOIS LOTTERY KICKS OFF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
The Illinois Lottery is celebrating its 50th anniversary in July, and they’re kicking off the huge milestone with fun new ways to win this summer.
Following Biblical Principles, The Joseph Business School Is on a Five-Year Mission to Help 100,000 Entrepreneurs Build Million Dollar Companies
Wharton, Stanford, Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, and Harvard may be renowned for producing future global business leaders. Still, the Joseph Business School (JBS), nestled in this village five miles west of Chicago, is poised to make a significant mark. On Saturday, June 29, 2024, JBS will launch a monumental campaign that will rival the best of what any elite school offers and reshape the global business landscape.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON AND ELECTED OFFICIALS HELP UNVEIL REDESIGNED ENGLEWOOD VILLAGE PLAZA
Grow Greater Englewood unveiled the 5th Annual Englewood Village Market at the redesigned Englewood Village Plaza on Saturday, June 22. The dedication ceremony took place on a former vacant lot on the southwest corner of 58th and Halsted Streets, which now serves as the main entry point along the proposed Englewood Nature Trail.
The Songs of the Civil Rights Movement Were the Secret Weapons for Justice
America was approaching the height of the civil rights movement as the news of the upcoming 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom spread across the nation. Hundreds of thousands of people prepared to emerge on the Nation’s capital transported by cars, buses, trains, and planes.
From Enslavement to Freedom, Black Music Has Been a Constant Comforter and Guide
Every Sunday, millions of African-American people across the nation make their way to church anticipating relief from lives of financial woes, pressures at work, health concerns, family matters, race discrimination and inequities among other stressful issues of everyday life.
R&B STAR BABYFACE COMING TO HARD ROCK LIVE ON OCTOBER 5
Gary, IN (June 24, 2024) Thirteen-time GRAMMY winning recording artist Babyface is coming to Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s Hard Rock Live venue on Saturday, October 5. Doors open at 7 p.m. General on sale begins Friday, June 28, at 10 a.m. Central Time.
WALMART TO DONATE CHATHAM JOB TRAINING FACILITY TO CHICAGO URBAN LEAGUE TO BENEFIT THE SOUTH SIDE
Today, Walmart announced the company plans to donate its 15,000+-square-foot Walmart Academy job training facility in the Chatham community to the Chicago Urban League. The donation will be final once the property is separated from a larger parcel and closing conditions are satisfied.
